Wire-stretcher.



W. A. CLANTON & R. K. COX.

WIRE STRETCHEH. APPLICATION man NOV. a. 1915.

1,2231%93. Patented June 26, 1917.

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UNITED %TATE% PATENT FllGE.

WILLIAM A. GLANTON AND ROBERT K. COX, OF WOOD, VIRGINIA.

WIRE-STRETCI-IER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1217.

Application filed November 8, 1916. SerialNo. 130,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WVILLIAM A. CLAN- ron and Bonner K; Cox, citizens of the United States, residing at Wood, in the county of Scott, State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful ire-Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention appertains to wire stretchers, and aims to provide a novel and improved device for stretching fence wires, although it can be used for various other purposes for which it is adapted.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel combination wire stretcher, which can be used either for pulling a chain attached to a clamp, or for pulling a single wire. toward and around a post or other anchor,'the device being of unique construction, whereby it can be converted for either of the purposes indicated.

It is also the'object of the-invention to provide an improved mechanism of the nature indicated which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, and which'is convenient, practical and elficient in use. 7

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what'is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 isa plan view of the stretcher in position for pulling a chain.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device in position for pulling'a single wire, portions being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the arms. 1

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the other arm. p

Fig. 5 is an edge view of the lever.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the link connection for the arms.

The wire stretcher embodies a loop-shaped lever 1 provided with a tapered terminal 2 with which the socket end of a handle 3 is engageable, said handle being of suitable length to permitthe proper leverage or pur chase to be obtained. A draft member 1 is pivoted, as at 5, between the longitudinal portions of the lever and between the ends of said lever, and has attached thereto a chain or other connection 6 for attachment to an anchor post or other object, whereby the lever 1 can be oscillated about the pivot 5 as a fulcrum.

An arm 7 is pivoted within the lever 1 adjacent one end thereof, as at 8, and said lever has a pin 9 adjacent the pivot 8 to act as a stop for limiting the movement of the arm 7 when swung away from the opposite end of the lever. The arm 7 is provided at its free end with a bifurcated hook or claw 10. A second arm 11 is pivoted within the lever 1, by a removable pin or pivot element 12, at that side of the pivot or fulcrum 5 remote from the arm 7, and the lever 1 has a pin 13 serving as a stop to limit the movement of the arm 11 when swung away from the arm 7. The arm 11 is provided at its free end with a bifurcated hook or claw 14, the hooks or claws of the two arms projecting toward one another or toward the opposite arms.

The arms 7-11 are connected near their pivoted ends by a link 16 composed of tele' scoping tubular sections 16 and 17 fitting together slidably and provided at remote ends with tongues 18 which are pivoted to the arms by means of removable pivot pins 19. The inner tubular section 17 has a diametrical pin 20 engaged therethrough adjacent that end thereof remote from the tongue 18 of said section 17, and the section 16 is provided with longitudinal slots 21 receiving the ends of the pin 20, said slots 21 being arranged adjacent the tongue 18 of the section 16. Said outer section 16 has a diametrical pin 22 engaged'therethrough adj acent its other end and working within longitudinal slots 23 of the" inner section 17. The pins and slots permit of the relative longitudinal movement of the sections 16 and 17 of the link, and a coiled wire expansion spring 2 1 is disposed within the section 17 and is confined between the pins 20 and 22, whereby the spring tends to separate said pins. This tends to move the terminal tongues 18 of the link toward one another, whereby to contract the link and swing the arms 711towa'rd one another. The sections of theli'nk can be drawn ap'a'rt'to a limited extent, however, when the spring'is compressed, th=uspe1"mitting' the arms 71l to separate or move away from one another. The spring 24 serves to swing the arms'7- 1l toward one another whereby to properly e1 1- gage theclaws of the arms with a 'chain'25 which can be attached to a-fence wireclamp, that is used for clamping a plurality of fence wires.

The; arm 11 carries a-igrip for-holding a wire l/V, and to this end, a plate 26 is riveted or otherwise secured tothe arm 11 between the ends thereof, and is. providedwith a'leaf spring or tongue 27 projecting toward'the fulcrum oripivot of said arm and providing means-for wedgedly receiving the wire-to grip the same. This plate has a hook 28 projecting to one side to-receive the Wire. The hook 28 projects toward-the same side of the arm 11 as does the claw or hook 14. r A spur or pawl-29 is pivoted, as at 30,130 the arm 7 between theends thereof, and said-armhasa V-shaped shoulder-81 for limiting the swinging -movement of said spur. The spur 29 projects to one sideof the arm 7,*or toward the same side-thereof as doesthe-claw 10. WVhenthe'spu'r 29-is not in use, it can be swung adjacent the arm 7 50 asto be out of theway.

'When'the stretcher is usedfor pulling-a chain 25 attachedto a wirefence clamp or other object, thechain 6 is connected-to a post-or otheranchor, and the link 15 is attached'to the arms-711, as'seen in F ig. =1. Supposing that the claw 14 engages *the chain 25 as seen insai'd figure, the-lever lis now swung to advance the arm-7. Theli-nk 15 will cause-the claw 10 toslide along the chain-25, and the spring 24 will cause said claw 10 to snap past thelinks of the chain, whereby the claw 10will obtain a hol'd 'on the chain, when the leverl has been swung a certain amount. It will'be noted that the lever-1 in being swung will'm'ove thearm ll'toward the anchor, thus pullingthe chain 25. The slots'of the claws or bifurcated hooksare adapted to receive those-links of the chain-which are in substantially the same plane asthe leverl, and said-claws-are engageable with theother links'to'obtain a hold on the chain automatically as the lever 1 is oscillated. Thus, after the lever is swung as above indicated, 'sothat'the' claw 10-is advanced and engaged with the chain 25, the leveris now oscillated in' the reverse direction, whereby the arm 7 in being moved backwardly will pull the chain 25 with it, while the arm 11 is advanced. Theclaw-1t of the arm 11 thus moves against and snaps into engagement with the links of the chain.

operated automatically to engage the chain and move it rearwardly, and it is only necessary-Tor the operator to swing the lever back and forth. withthe"'chain is also facilitatedby-thepro- The engagement of the claws visionof the stops 9-13 which positively swing the arms into engagement with the chain when the lever 1 is"swung the full limit ofits'm-ovenient.

"When the' device is used for stretching. a singlewire WV, as seen Il'IIFLlgvQ, the link15 is detached from the arms and removed from the devieeyandthe pivot pin-12 is removed, so that-'thearm ll can-be reversed,-asseen in Fig 2, after which the; pin 12 is reapplied to: pivot the arm ll in reversed positionwith the hook 28 and claw 14*thereof: projecting away from the arm 7. The wire W isapplied under the spring or clip 27 tawedgedly engage between said spring or clip and 'arm 11,-whereby the wire is'q-grippe'd, and the lever l is then: placed against the post '15,- as seen inF-igiQ. The lever-1 is then swungto move the 'levernaround the post -from the dotted 'line position in Fig. -2 to the full line positionyand even farther 1 if necessary. By thus turning the'deviCe around theap'ost, the wire is pulled with "the arm 11, for stretching said wire, and to. prevent the retrograde movement of the devicey-the arm. 7 is swtmg toward the: post P whereby its spur 29 engages'thegpost and prevents suchreverse movement of the device. This will hold the wire in taut condition even when the -handle 3 isreleased. The hook 28 is adapted toreceiVethewir-e W when the device is= in'starting'position,"as"seen in dotted lines'in'Fig-2, and the' claw 1a is adapted to receive t'he wire wheirthe device is moved to the run line position in Fig.2, whereby the wire is. properly confined in place, although the wire need i not be engaged with the claw 14 if not desired.

It is an easy matter to convertthe device for stretching either'a chain-Ora wire, as will be apparent-from the foregoing.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Astretcher embodying a lever adapted to rest against a post, means for connecting thewire to said lever a one-side of the post, an arm pivoted to said lever to project across the oppositesi'cle" of the p'ostysaid arm having a limited swinging movement relative to the levery-an'daspur'pivoted-to said arm and projecting"tow=ard the lever toengage the post, said spur having'a limitedswingmg niovementrelative'to said arm.

2. A= stretehenembody1ng alever, an arm pivoted thereto, a spring tongue carried by as our own, We have hereto affixed our sigsaid arm and projecting toward the pivot natures in the presence of two Witnesses. thereof for receiving and gripping a Wire, WILLIAM A. CLANTON. and a Wire receiving hook carried by said ROBERT K. COX.

arm and projecting to one side thereof be- Witnesses: tween the tongue and free end of the arm. QUILLEN Cox MoCLELLoN,

In testimony that We claim the foregoing P. L. Cox.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

